Knit panty-girdle and method of making same



June 10, 1958 E. P. SCRIGGINS 2,837,904

I KNIT PANTY-GIRDLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Aug- 9 1956 FIG.6FIG.

34 /ml; \W

JNVENTOR Edwin P50 1469:

BYE' F ATTORNEYS KNIT PANTY-GIRDLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Edwin P.Scriggins, Summit, N. J., assignor to Jantzen Inc., Portland, reg., acorporation of Nevada Application August 9, 1956, Serial No. 603,103

8 Claims. (Cl. 66-176) This invention relates generally to aparity-girdle and method of making same, and more particularly, to acircular knit panty-girdle and method of making same.

The primary aim and object of the present invention is the provision ofa circular knit parity-girdle having an improved leg and crotchconstruction which is smoothfitting and comfortable to the wearer andwhich presents an attractive and smooth fitting appearance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a leg constructionfor the panty-girdle having a uniform tensioning characteristic for theleg encircling portions of the panty-girdle.

Another object of the present invention is to increase the front-to-rearor trunk measurement of the pantygirdle, at the crotch thereof, withoutsubstantially interfering with the circumferential measurement anduniform tensioning characteristic of the leg encircling portions of thegirdle. In accordance with this object of the invention, provision ismade for the use of a shaped warp knitted crotch piece which is stitchedinto the girdle in such a manner as to minimize friction or chafing ofthe wearers legs.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a'p'anty-girdle wherein the legs and crotch of the girdle are constructedfrom an integral circular knit part thereof which is seamed in such amanner as to minimize surface interruptions in the crotch and adjacentleg portions of the girdle.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a circularknit panty-girdle in which the circular knit leg defining part andcrotch ofthe girdle has substantially more material than the body partthereof in a circumferential direction to provide the requisitedimension for the legs and crotch of the girdle.

[Yet another object of the present invention is the provisionof animproved method of making a pantygirdle of the faforenoted constructionwhich may be practiced by the utilization of conventional apparatus.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more fully understood from the following descriptionconsidered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the, drawing which illustrates the best mode now contemplated by mefor carrying out my invention:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a circular knit fabric blank whichis adapted to be formed into a pantygirdle of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof looking in the,

, Fig. 5 is av bottom plan view of the lower part of the.

blank shown in Fig. 1, showing the lower part of the pantyegirdle in afinished condition; f

tates Patent 0 Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of a panty-girdleformed pursuant to the present invention; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 and illustrates a pantygirdleconstruction, pursuant to the present invention, which omits the crotchpiece.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 through 5thereof, which illustrate the presently preferred embodiment of theinvention, there is shown a circular knit panty-girdle 10 which is ofthe elastic twoway stretch type, said girdle comprising a peripherallycontinuous knit fabric body 12 having an integrally knit part 14 at thelower end thereof which defines the peripheral leg portions 16 andcrotch region 18 of the girdle. As usual, the panty-girdle 10 isprovided with a circumferentially extending knit waistband portion 20 atthe upper end of the fabric body 12 of the girdle and said waistbandportion is integrally circular knit with said fabric body 12 of thegirdle. The fabric body or body portion 12 is shaped to generallyconform to the figure requirements of the wearer and is of graduallyincreasing diameter towards the lower end of the girdle as clearly shownin Fig. 6.

Each of the girdle leg portions 16 is of similar construction and isprovided with a cooperating pair of longitudinal edges 22 and 24, at theinner side thereof, which are secured together, at their outer ends, bythe longitudinally extending seam 26 which extends continuously alongthe inner sides of both leg portions 16, traversing the crotch region 18and terminating at the lower edges 28 of said leg portions. Provision ismade for a crotchpiece 19 which is substantially of diamond shape. Thecrotch piece is formed from a warp knitted material which enables thecrotch piece to be cut to the required shape without running of theknitting and enables the crotch piece to be stitched to the girdle byflat seams which are desirable to minimize friction or chafing of thewearers legs. The crotch piece can be made of any suitable material, forexample and not by way of limitation, of the fabrics known as Milanese,of rubber, etc.

As here shown, the flat seam 26, which extends along the inner sides ofboth leg portions and across the crotch region 18, also secures thelongitudinal arcuate edge 21, continuously from the end 23 to the end 25of the crotch piece, to the lower part 14 of the girdle at the crotchregion. A second flat seam 27 secures the opposite longitudinal edge 29of the crotch piece, continuously from.

end to end thereof, to the lower part of the girdle, at the crotchregion. It is to be noted that the crotch region 18 of the garment isdefined by the lower end part 14 of the garment at the juncture of theleg portions 16 with the fabric body 12, the crotch piece being securedin said region, between the leg portions as described.

The body 12 and lower end part 14 have defined therebetween aperipherally extending line 30 of fashioning knits which forms aperipheral boundary between body 12 and part 14 and said part 14 hassubstantially more wales than said body to provide the requisite amountof material for the leg portions 16 and crotch region 18. The lower endpart 14 is circular knit in integral relation with the body 12 and hassubstantially more material per unit of circumferential length than saidbody.

and outer panels have substantially more material or wales per unit ofcircumferential length than the fabric body and, by way of example andwithout limitation, the

3 panels 32 may have approximately twice as many stitches or wales perunit of circumferential length as the body 12 with the panels 34 havingapproximately 25 percent additional stitches of wales per unit ofcircumferential length relative to said body. The fabric body 12 and theleg portions 16 are circumferentially elastic and said body has agreater constricting force in the expanded or worn condition of thegirdle relative to the constricting force provided by the leg portions16. Accordingly, the clasticity of the leg portions 16 has less tensionthan the elasticity of the bodylZ to provide less constriction at theleg portions of the wearer than at the body areas of the wearerassociated with the fabric body 12 in the expanded or worn condition ofthe girdle. The leg portions 16 are constructed to provide an eventension around the legs of the wearer and as pointed out above, thetension provided is of a magnitude to minimize leg constriction.

It will be noted that the warp knitted fabric, of which the crotch piece19 is formed, is stretchable at least in the directions indicated by thearrows 31 in Fig. 4. Consequently, when sewn into the parity-girdle,said crotch piece is stretchable at least laterally of the garment andof the wearer, as shown in Fig. 5, the parity-girdle being stretchablefrom the full line to the broken line conditions thereof. The diamondshape of the crotch piece increases the front-to-rear, or trunk,measurement of the girdle without substantially interfering with thecircumferential measurement and uniform tensioning characteristic of theleg encircling portions 16 of the panty-girdle, provided as a result ofthe previously described fashioning. In this connection, it will beunderstood that the fashioning of the girdle enables the diamond shapedcrotch piece to be used so that the lower parts of the leg encirclingportions are made of the same material which, in turn, enables the legportions to be substantially evenly tensioned around the wearers thighsand the body of the girdle to be evenly tensioned around the hips of thewearer. While, as indicated above, it is preferable that the crotchpiece be stretchable laterally of the garment, it is within the scope ofthe present invention to provide a crotch piece which is stretchable ina direction transversely of the arrows 31, so as to be stretchable in afront to'rear direction, instead of laterally of the panty-girdle orwearer.

The panty-girdle 10 may be knit of any suitable elastic yarn. forexample, a covered elastic yarn of the Lastex type. The lower end part 15 and the waistband portion 20 of the instant embodiment are of rib-knitconstruction although it will be apparent that, if desired, suchportions may be other than rib-knit. The panty-girdle of the presentinvention is circular knit on conventional circular knitting apparatushaving provision to transfer yarn from the cylinder needle to the dialneedles or from the dial needles to the cylinder needles, withindividual needle control on the cylinder so as to place selectedneedles into or out of operation. 1

The panty-girdle is made from a blank 10 (Figs. 1 and 2) which iscircular knit on conventional circular knitting apparatus of theaforenoted character to provide a peripherally continuous knit fabricbody 12' having an integral circular knit part 14 at the lower endthereof which is adapted to form the leg portions 16 and crotch region18 of the finished girdle 1%). Accordingly, the basic blank ill forforming the girdle 10 is peripherally continuous and the fabric body 12'thereof is initially knit to a finished state to define the body 12 ofthe finished girdle. The blank 16 above the peripheral line offashioning knits 30', is thus circular knit to a finished state and thelower end part 14' is processed to form the leg portions and crotchregion of the girdle in the manner now to be described. The lower part14 is circular knit to provide substantially more material or walesthereat as compared to the fabric body so as to provide the requis'iteamount of additional material needed for the fabrication of the legportions of the girdle.

The opposite sides 40 and 40 of the lower end part 14', are severed orcut in any suitable manner along the lines 42 which extend walewise ofthe blank 1-9 from the lower peripheral edge 44 thereof. As a result ofthis severing operation the blank 10 is in the condition illustrated inFig. 3 in which each side of the blank is provided with a pair ofseparated longitudinal edges 22, 22' or 24, 24'. It will be noted thatthe longitudinal edges 22 and 24' extend walewise of the blank along thecircular knit part 14' thereof from the lower peripheral edge 44 thereofto the terminal points 46 spaced below the peripheral line 30'. Thepairs of separated edges 22 and 24 are manipulated so that their outerportions are in confronting disposition and the crotch piece 19 isdisposed between said edges in the crotch region, the fiat seam 26extending continuously from the lower edge 23 of one leg portion 16 tothe lower edge of the other leg portion 16 so as to secure said edgestogether in each leg portion and to secure the arcuate edge 21 of thecrotch piece 19 into the crotch region 18 between said leg portions, asbest shown in Fig. 5. A second flat seam 27 secures the opposing arcuateedge 29 of the crotch piece into the crotch regions between the lcgportions. The foregoing operations form from the blank it) apanty-girdle having peripherally extending leg portions 15 and a crotch18 formed from the lower part 14 of the blank, the crotch including thecrotch piece 19 which is stretchable preferably laterally of theparity-girdle and is diamond shaped so as to increase the front to rearor trunk measurement of the girdle without substantially interferingwith the circumferential measurement and uniform tensioningcharacteristic of the leg encircling portions of the girdle which isprovided as a result of the previously described fashioning.

it will be noted that the panels 32 include a laterally projectingcentral portion 46 at the crotch region. In forming the waistband orwelt top 20 of the girdle both the cylinder and dial needles of thecircular knitting machine are utilized to form a rib-knit welt top. Thebody 12 of the girdle is knit by the dial needles with the cylinderneedles remaining inactive whereas the lower end portion 14 is rib-knitin the instant embodiment with both the cylinder and dial needles beingactivated. In forming the panels 32 of the part 14 additional cylinderneedles are picked up gradually to provide a greater number of stitchesand wales at such panels with gradual transition. As clearly shown inFig. l, the blank 10, at the lower end portion 14 thereof, is providedwith substantially more material as compared with the body 12' of saidblank in order to provide the requisite amount of material needed forthe formation of the peripheral extending leg portions 16 of thegarment. The panels 32 having more material, and thus more body ascompared with the rest of the garment, inhibits the leg portions 16 fromrolling up, or bunching up at, the wearers legs.

Referring now to Fig. 7 there is illustrated another embodiment of thepresent invention wherein reference numerals, which are similar to thereference numerals of the previously described embodiment, indicatesimilar elements or parts. The panty-girdle 10 of the present embodimentdiffers from the panty-girdle 10 only in that the crotch piece 19 andthe second seam 27 of the latter are both omitted and is similar to thepanty-girdle 10 in all other respects.

In the present embodiment, during the manufacture sewing operations.From the above, it will therefore be apparentthat in the presentembodiment the blank is fabricated into a finished panty-girdle 10" bythe described severing and securement operations in which the lowercircular knit part of the blank defines the peripherally, extending legportions 16 and the crotch 18' of the garment, a single seam 26' beingutilized at the crotch and adjacent leg panels 32.

.From the above it will be apparentthat in each of the describedembodiments, there is provided a circular knit par ty-girdle which is asmooth fitting and comfortable garment which presents an attractive andsmooth, fitting appearance. The panty-girdle is provided with anintegral circular knit leg and crotch defining part 14 which hassubstantially more material than the requisite dimension for thelegs andcrotch of the girdle. The peripherally extending line 30 of fashioningknits may be of any suitable design and configuration and the specificconfiguration ofthe illustrated embodiment is given by way of exampleonly.

- The present application is a continuation-impart of my priorco-pending application, Serial No. 548,880, filed November 25, 1955, andassigned to the assignee hereof.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in theidea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appendedclaims. 7 Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by letters Patent is: I 1 t 1. A circular knit panty-girdle,comprising a periphcrally continuous knit fabric body which iscircumferentially and longitudinally elastic and having an integrallyknit part at the lower end thereof defining the leg portions andcrotchrof the -gird1e, said leg portions being circumferentially andlongitudinally elasticand having cooperating-pairs; of longitudinaledges, respectively, at the inner side thereof secured together by alongitudinally extending continuous seam traversing said crotch andterminating at the lower edges of said leg portions, respectively, saidbody having a predetermined number of wales per unit of circumferentiallength to provide it with a predetermined constricting force, said lowerend part being circular knit in integral relation with said body andhaving substantially more wales per unit of circumferential length thansaid body to provide said leg portions with a lesser constricting forcethan said body, each of said leg portions comprising an innerperipherally extending panel adjacent said crotch and an outerperipherally extending panel, said inner panel having more wales perunit of circumferential length than said outer panel to provide eventension around the legs of the wearer.

2. A circular knit panty-girdle, comprising a peripherally continuousknit fabric body which is circumferentially elastic and having anintegrally knit part at the lower end thereof defining the leg portionsand crotch of the girdle, said leg portions being circumferentiallyelastic and having cooperating pairs of longitudinal edges,respectively, at the inner side thereof secured together by alongitudinally extending continuous seam traversing said crotch andterminating at the lower edges of said leg po1-'.

tions, respectively, said body having a predetermined num- V ber ofwales per unit of circumferential length to provide it with apredetermined constricting force, said lower end part being circularknit in integral relation with said body and having substantially morewales per unit of circumferential length than said body to provide saidleg portions with a lesser constricting force than said body, each ofsaid leg portions comprising an inner peripherally extending paneladjacent said crotch and an outer peripherally extending panel, saidinner panel having more wales per unit of circumferential length thansaid outer panel to provide even tension around the legs of the wearer.

3. A circular knit panty-girdle, comprising a peripherally continuousknit fabric body which is circumferentially elastic and having anintegrally knit part at the '6 lower end thereof defining the legportions and crotch of the girdle, said leg portions beingcircumferentially elastic and having cooperating pairs of longitudinaledges, respectively, at the inner side thereof secured together by alongitudinally extending continuous seam traversing said crotch andterminating at the lower edges of said leg portions, respectively, saidbody having a predetermined number of wales per unit of circumferentiallength to provide it with apredetermined constricting force, said lowerend part being circular knit in integral relation with said body andhaving substantially more wales per unit of circumferential length thansaid body to provide said leg portions with a lesser constricting forcethan said body, each of said leg portions comprising an innerperipherally extending panel adjacent said crotch and an outerperipherally extending panel, said inner panel having a different numberof wales per unit of circumferential length than said outer panel toprovide even tension around the legs of the wearer.

4. A circular knit panty-girdle, comprising a peripherally continuousknit fabric body which is circumferentially elastic and having anintegrally knit part at the lower end thereof defining the leg portionsand crotch region of the girdle, said leg portions beingcircumferentially elastic, said lower end part being knit in integralrelation with saidbody, each of said leg portions comprising an innerperipherally extending panel adjacent said crotch and an outerperipherally extending panel, said inner panel having a different numberof wales per unit of circumferential length than said outer panel toprovide even tension around the legs of the wearer, said crotch regionbeing, elastically stretchable and having means to increase the front'to rear measurement of said region without substantially interferingwith the uniform tensioning characteristic, of; the leg portions of saidgirdle.

5. A circular knit panty-girdle, comprising a peripherally continuousknit fabric body which is circumferentially elastic and having anintegrally knit part at the lower end thereof defining the leg portionsand crotch region of the girdle, said leg portions beingcircumferentially elastic, said lower end part being knit in integralrelation With said body, each of said leg portions comprising an innerperipherally extending panel adjacent said crotch and an outerperipherally extending panel, said inner panel having a different numberof wales per unit of circumferential length than said outer panel toprovide even tension around the legs of the wearer, said crotch regionbeing elastically stretchable and having means to increase the front torear measurement of said region without substantially interfering withthe unform tensioning characteristic of the leg portions of said girdle,said last mentioned means comprising a crotch piece formed of knitfabric and having opposite ends which terminate a substantial distanceinwardly of the outer edges of said leg portions.

6. A circular knit panty-girdle, comprising a peripherally continuousknit fabric body which is circumferentially elastic and having anintegrally knit part at the lower end thereof defining the leg portionsand crotch region of the girdle, said leg portions beingcircumferentially elastic, said body having a predetermined number ofwales per unit of circumferential length to provide it with apredetermined constricting force, said lower end part being circularknit in integral relation with said body, and having substantially morewales per unit of circumferential length than said body to provide saidleg portions with a lesser constricting force than said body, each ofsaid leg portions comprising an inner peripherally extending paneladjacent said crotch and an outer peripherally extending panel, saidinner panel having a different number of Wales per unit ofcircumferential length than said outer panel to provide even tensionaround the legs of the wearer, said crotch region being elasticallystretchable and having means to increase the 7 front to rear measurementof said region without substantially interfering with the uniformtensioning characteristic of the leg portions of said girdle.

7. A circular knit panty-girdle, comprising a pcripherally continuousknit fabric body which is circumferentially and longitudinally elasticand having'an integrally knit part at the lower end thereof defining theleg portions and crotch of the girdle, said leg portions beingcircumferentially and longitudinally elastic and having cooperatingpairs of longitudinal edges, respectively, at the inner sides thereof,and said crotch being provided with a substantially diamond-shapedcrotch piece, the opposite ends of said crotch piece terminating asubstantial distance inwardly of the outer edges of said leg portions,respectively, and said cooperating pairs of longitudinal edges beingsecured together from the outer edges of said leg portions,respectively, to the adjacent end of said crotch piece, said body havinga predetermined number of wales per unit of circumferential length toprovide it with a predetermined constricting force, said lower end partbeing circular knit in integral relation with said body and havingsubstantially more wales per unit of circumferential length than saidbody to provide said leg portions with a lesser constricting force thansaid body, each of said leg portions comprising an inner peripherallyextending panel adjacent Said crotch and an outer peripherally extendingpanel, said inner panel having more wales per unit of circumferentiallength than said outer panel to provide even tension around the legs ofthe wearer.

8. A circular knit parity-girdle, comprising a peripherally continuousknit fabric body which is circumferentially and longitudinally elasticand having an integrally knit part at the lower end thereof defining theleg portions and crotch of the girdle, said leg portions beingcircuinferentially and longitudinally elastic and having cooperatingpairs of longitudinal edges, respectively, at the inner sides thereof,and said crotch being provided with a substantially diamond-shapedcrotch piece, the topposite ends of said crotch piece terminating asubstantial distance inwardly of the outer edges of said leg portions,respectively and said cooperating pairs of longitudinal edges beingsecured together from the outer edges of said leg portions,respectively, to theadjacent end of said crotch piece, said body havinga predetermined number of wales per unit of circumferential length toprovide it with a predetermined constricting force, said lower end partbeing circular knit in integral relation with said body and havingsubstantially more wales per unit of circumferential length than saidbody to provide said leg portions withtaalesser constricting force thansaid body, each of said leg portions comprising an inner peripherallyextending panel adjacent said crotch and an outer peripherally extendingpanel, said inner panel having more wales per unit of circumferentiallength than said outer panel to provide even tension around the legs ofthe wearer, and said crotch piece being formed of warp knit fabric andbeing stretchable laterally of said girdle in the expanded or worncondition thereof whereby the front to rear measurement of the girdlemay beincreased without substantially interfering wih thecircumferential measurement and uniform tension characteristic of theleg portions of said girdle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

